Race game apparatus



July 19, 1938. J SMYTHE' 2,124,456

RACE! (Ir AME APPARATUS Filed Feb. 16, 1957 I & I/Iynio'r W A ttorney Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in race game apparatus.

It is one of the principal objects of my invention to provide a race game that may be produced 5 at low cost and easily and quickly set up in the home for the entertainment of children and adults who desire to play it. The game apparatus is so constructed and arranged that it may be attached to two pieces of furniture such as chairs 10 to support a plurality of strings, each of which may be intermittently pulled and released by a player to slidingly advance thereon an object simulating a horse or other animal. The person whose animal piece first reaches the home or 15 finish position on his string track wins the game.

Another object of my invention is the provision of elastic means for connecting each players string to its fixed end frame member so that it may be pulled forward and automatically re- 20 turned in quick succession to rapidly move the game piece forward. Skill in pulling and releasing the string is necessary to advance the game piece speedily from its starting to its home or finish position, thus adding zest to the game.

25 In the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my racing frame mounted on the backs of two chairs. Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken through the end member to 30 which the elastic bands are attached. Figure 3 is a top plan view of said member, showing four elastic bands attached thereto to receive the strings.

Figure 4 is a side view of one of the objects,

35 in this instance a card horse, that is slidable along one of the string tracks. And Figure 5 is an end view of that slidable object mounted on its respective string, with the latter in section.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a 40 detailed description of the form of embodiment of my invention illustrated therein, the numerals I, 2, 3 and 4' designate four strings that serve as tracks over which cardboard or other light, stiff objects 5 simulating animals are slidingly mov- 45 able. In the present instance the cardboard piece 5, which is bent to inverted V shape in cross section, simulates a running horse.

At one end, each string is passed through a hole in, and stapled to the back of, an end frame 5 member 6, although these strings may be attached thereto in any other suitable manner. Secured to the back of the member 6 by suitable fastening means are the ends of an elastic band 1 which is adapted to be slipped over the back of a chair 8 or other stationary object to fixedly support one end of the racing frame defined by the end member 6, the strings and the end member 9. r

The strings I, 2, 3 and 4 are attached to the other end member 9 by short elastic endless bands I0. To the outer ends of the bands I!) the strings are connected as illustrated in Figure 2, 10 the inner ends of these bands being projected through holes H in the end member 9 and. secured to its back face by staples l2 or other suitable fastening means. Also suitably secured to the rear face of the member 9 are the ends of an elastic band I3 by means of which it may be secured to the back of a chair M or other stationary object.

When my racing frame is set up between the backs of two chairs as illustrated in Figure 1, the slidable cardboard horses 5 are mounted astraddle the strings I, 2, 3 and 4 at their elastic band ends I 0. The opposite ends of the strings are then grasped by the players, who pull and release them intermittently with a dexterity that causes the cardboard pieces to slide forward on those strings at a pace which is measured by the skill of the player. The horse which first reaches the finish line defined by the end member 6 wins the race. The elastic bands In which connect the strings to the end member 9, permit them to be freely pulled forward and returned in quick succession to slidingly advance the pieces 5 simulating the animals in the race.

It will thus be seen that my game may be produced at low cost and easily set up by children or adults in the home to provide thrilling and skill-entailing amusement for them.

Having described my invention, I claim:

In a game apparatus of the type described, two end frame members, spaced elastic bands attached to one of said frame members, strings attached at one end to said elastic bands and at their opposite ends to the other end frame member, bodies simulating animals that are axially split to slide in upright positions over said strings when the latter are intermittently pulled by the players, and elastic bands secured at their ends to the rear portions of the end frame members to attach said members to stationary objects to raise said bodies above the floor.

GEORGE J. SMYTHE. 

